Improvement in metallic cans



J. BROUGHTON. Metallic (Jam 'No. 209,009. Patented Oct. 15,1878.

fly?! ILFETERS. PHom-LJIHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BROUGHTON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO. \VILLIAM VOGEL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC CANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 209,009, dated October 15, 1878; application filcd October 16, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BItOUGHTON, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Metallic Cans, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in that class of sheet-metal cans which are constructed with an opening in the cover and a projecting flap, the opening being sealed by a patch soldered to the under side of the top of the can, the flap serving as a means by which the metal of the cover can be stripped up and separated from the patch and the edge of the can in order to open the same.

The object of my invention is to so form the incision that the continuity of the edge of the cover will not be to any extent destroyed, and so that while a flap extending to a point at the edge of the cover will be formed so as to give the proper start in stripping up the metal, the said flap will not lie except at a single point at the edge of the cover, and will not be liable to be rubbed up, picked up, or curled up in the packing, handling, or transportation of the cans.

To this end my invention consists in forming in the cover of the can a slit or incision, commencing at the margin of the cover and extending inwardly in an angular direction, forming two sides of a right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse of which lies in the diametrical line of the cover, or at right angles to one of its sides, intersecting the edge of the cover at the same point as the incision, in combination with a patch secured to the under side of the cover, as more fully hereinafter specified.

Figure 1 represents a view, in perspective, of a metallic can having the invention in one of its forms or modifications applied; Fig. 2, atop view of the soldered cover detached,a'nd Fig. 3 an under view of said coyer. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the can, showing also an independent lid, which may be used after the soldered cover has been stripped off or detached.

A is the body of the can, having an inwardlyout from sheet metal, and of a size to rest.

upon the inwardly-proiecting flange b of the body.

0 is an exteriorflap, with which the cover B is formed, or provided by a slit or incision, 0, made through the cover in direction of its thickness without removing metal. Said incision c is here represented as commencing at the margin of the cover and extending inwardly in an angular direction or eourse,pret' erably so that it forms two sides of a rightangled triangle, the hypotenuse of which is the radius of the cover, intersecting the pcriphery of the cover at the same point as the slit or incision. This makes the flap C an angular one; but the invention is not restricted to any particular shape of the flap or of the incision by which the flap is made. It will here, however, be described of angular form, as above specified.

D is a patch, which may be of square or angular form, corresponding with the incision, and which is arranged on the under or inner side of the cover B beneath the flap G, and so that two of its edges underla-p the incision c in the cover, thus admitting of its being closely soldered to the under side of the cover, so as to close theincision, and yet ICHNC that portion of the cover which is bound by the angular incision and its hypotenuse as a loose flap, which can be picked up with the thumb and finger, as shown in Fi 1, for the purpose of stripping off the cover after it has been soldered to the body of the can.

This construction and combinationot parts has many advantages. Thus it allows ot' a simple disk, which is'quickly punched out of sheet metal by the least costly form of punch and die, being used for the cover. Said cover is easily soldered in a quick and continuous manner on the flan go at the upper end of the body of the can, free from anyliability of that portion of the flap which is designed to be left loose sticking or adhering to the body of the can or to the patch which is soldered to the under side of the cover to close the opening in the cover made by the incision, Again, in

opening the can the cover is readily stripped from the body without leaving the patch attached to the body by reason of the angular construction and arrangement of the patch, only uniting it with the body at a single point, as it were and the flat soldered joint which the cover forms with the flange on the upper end of the body providing for an easy tearing 0d of the cover by pullin g on the loose portion of the-flap. Likewise, in using a patch of angular form, and arranging it in relation with the cover so that one of its lines of soldering, (marked 0,) uniting the patch with the cover, occupies a tangential relation. to the circumferential solder joint of the cover with the body, the cover may be separated by the least possible exertion in the act of stripping it, the starting-point of which is where the loose flap is turned up.

A hole, 7, is made in the loose flap O to provide for the better hold of the latter by the finger and thumb when stripping the cover, or, if necessary, to allow of the introduction through the flap of a nail or other article to obtain a still better hold.

In opening the can the disltcover B may either be partially or wholly stripped ofi, and when necessary to preserve any remaining contents of the can an independent or supplemen tary lid, E, having a rim or flange, may be used to close the mouth of the can after its soldered cover has been removed.

I claim A metallic can having a slit or incision in its cover, commencing at the margin thereof and extending inwardly in an angular direction, forming two sides of a right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse of which lies in the diamctrieal line of the cover or at right angles to one of its sides, intersecting the edge of the cover at the same point as the incision, in combination with a patch secured to the under side of the cover, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JOHN BROUGI-ITON.

\Vitnesses HENRY '1. BROWN, Faun. HAYNES. 

